It is an erect shrub with sticky, later varnished foliage, elliptic to lance-shaped, sometimes toothed leaves and racemes or thyrses of yellow flowers.

Goodenia vernicosa is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) with foliage that is sticky at first, later varnished.

Flowering mainly occurs from September to January and the fruit is an oval or cylindrical capsule 7–9 mm (0.28–0.35 in) long.

[2][3] Goodenia vernicosa was first formally described in 1919 by John McConnell Black in Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia from specimens collected by Ernest Ising on Mount Patawarta near Moolooloo.

[6] This goodenia occurs in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia.